Exhibition opening: Untold Stories of Togetherness

Currently, there is little space for a diverse culture of remembrance that includes histories of Muslim-Jewish alliance. Discussions about the relationship between Muslims and Jews, both in public and in private, are characterized by entrenched positions and stereotypes, but also by powerlessness and despair. The question of which stories and realities are publicly remembered is the subject of heated debate and has a major impact on our  current political discourse, and sense of social cohesion.

The exhibition Untold Stories of Togetherness begins precisely there, taking visitors to forgotten, hidden, and overwritten Muslim-Jewish connections. It tells of social imbalances, of friendships and fleeting encounters, of continuities and ruptures, and in doing so sheds light on what is less considered in the discussion of Muslim-Jewish relations. As part of an academy program, four Jewish and four Muslim artists researched the shared histories of Muslims and Jews and explored the political and social understandings of remembrance culture.

What is remembered? Which perspectives are represented? And who has the power to decide? Can there even be a shared, collective form of remembrance culture? Or is memory not only a highly selective but also a deeply personal act? The contributions have each found their own answers and forms of engagement. The exhibition brings together installations, compositions, sculptures, and text-based works that interact with one another in various collaborations.

The exhibition was created as part of the Untold Stories of Togetherness Academy, a mentoring project of the Young Islam Conference as part of the Young Postmigrant Alliances program at the Schwarzkopf Foundation Young Europe. The exhibition is funded by the German Postcode Lottery.

The exhibition is on view at the Garage Campus until December 31, 2025.